Note for teachers using this lesson plan
Before the lesson, ensure you have a real kite and balloon, relevant charts of air transport, and pictures for colouring ready. The central idea is for pupils to understand that some objects move in the air and that smells travel through the air. Emphasise safety when handling the kite/balloon. Successful learning will be observed as pupils actively move the objects, identify air transport, and distinguish between good and bad smells.
Class: Pre-School Level 2
Term: Second Term
Week: 7
Age: 3 years
Duration: 30 minutes
Subject: Pre-Science
Curriculum Theme: Not separately stated in the scheme.
Previous Lesson: Air around us
Topic: AIR TRANSPORTATION AND SMELL IN AIR
Subject Matter: AIR TRANSPORTATION. Air As a Means of Transportation: Airplane, Helicopter, Kite, Etc. Smell Can Be Perceived in Air Too.
Specific Objectives
By the end of the lesson, pupils should be able to:
Cognitive Domain
- Identify at least two objects that move in the air.
- Distinguish between good and bad smells.
Affective Domain
- Show interest in different ways objects move in the air.
- Appreciate the sense of smell and its importance.
Psychomotor Domain
- Move a kite or balloon in the air.
- Colour pictures of objects that move in the air.
Social Domain
- Participate in group activities like singing and identifying objects.
Reference Materials
- NAPPS National Unified Teaching Scheme for Pre-School Level 2
- Early Childhood Care and Education resources
Instructional Materials
- A small kite
- A balloon
- Charts showing an airplane, helicopter, drone, and kite
- Pictures of objects that move in air for colouring
- Crayons
- Video clips on air transportation and sense of smell
Rationale for the Lesson
This lesson helps 3-year-olds understand their immediate environment by exploring how some objects move through the air and how they perceive smells. It connects to their daily experiences, fostering curiosity about the world around them and developing their sensory awareness.Prerequisite/Previous Knowledge
Pupils have seen air around them, know that they breathe air, and are familiar with their body parts, including the nose.Lesson Content/Board Summary
AIR TRANSPORTATION AND SMELL IN AIR
Air Transportation
Air is all around us, and some things can move in the air!
- Airplane: A big vehicle that flies high in the sky and carries people and goods far away.
- Helicopter: A flying machine that can hover in one spot and move up and down easily.
- Kite: A toy that flies in the air when the wind blows, held by a string.
- Balloon: A light object filled with air that floats up into the sky.
- Drone: A small flying machine that can be controlled remotely.
These objects use the air to move from one place to another.
Smell in Air
We use our nose to smell! Air carries different smells to our nose.
- Good Smells: Smells that are pleasant and make us happy.
- Examples: Flowers, delicious food (like jollof rice), perfume, soap.
- Bad Smells: Smells that are unpleasant and make us wrinkle our nose.
- Examples: Dirty dustbin, rotten food, dirty socks.
It’s important to know the difference between good and bad smells.
Key Words
- Air – The invisible thing all around us.
- Airplane – A vehicle that flies in the air.
- Kite – A toy that flies in the air with a string.
- Smell – What we do with our nose.
- Good – Pleasant, nice.
- Bad – Unpleasant, not nice.
Movement Rhyme: Things That Fly
Tune: Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star
Up in the sky, so high, high, high,
Airplanes zoom and birds do fly.
Kites can dance and balloons can float,
All in the air, like a little boat.
Up in the sky, so high, high, high,
Wonderful things go flying by!
Actions: Point up, spread arms like wings, wiggle fingers for birds, sway hands for kites, float hands up for balloons.
Watch and Learn: Air Transport
💡 Teacher Guide for Using This Board Summary
How to teach the content: Introduce the topic by asking pupils what they see in the sky. Use the charts to show pictures of airplanes, helicopters, kites, and balloons, naming each one clearly. Explain simply that these things move in the air. For smells, ask pupils what they use to smell, then give concrete examples of good and bad smells, asking them to make a happy face for good and a ‘yucky’ face for bad.
What to show or demonstrate: Show the actual kite and balloon. Demonstrate how to gently move them in the air. Point to the nose when discussing smell. You can bring a flower or a piece of orange peel for a good smell, and perhaps a small, sealed container with a ‘bad’ smell (e.g., a used tea bag) for demonstration, but be cautious and ensure it’s not too strong or offensive.
How to use the rhyme/song: Sing the “Things That Fly” rhyme together with pupils, encouraging them to do the actions. Repeat it a few times to help them remember the words and associate them with the flying objects.
How to use the video: Introduce the video as a fun way to see more things that fly. Play the video once, then discuss the different air transport vehicles they saw. Ask pupils to name one thing they saw flying in the video.
What to watch for: Observe if pupils can correctly identify the objects on the charts. Watch their reactions to the good/bad smell examples to see if they understand the difference. Encourage all pupils to participate in moving the kite/balloon and singing the rhyme.
Teaching Methods/Instructional Techniques
Play-based Learning, Demonstration, Guided Practice, Songs and Rhymes, Picture Talk, Question and Answer, Manipulation of Objects, Repetition, Practical Activity.Instructional Procedures
Step 1: Introduction
Time: 3 minutes
Teaching Skill: Engagement/Greeting
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher greets the pupils and asks them what they know about the air around them. “Who can feel the air? What do we do with air?”
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils respond to greetings and share simple ideas about air, e.g., “We breathe air.”
Learning Point: Pupils are reminded of the presence of air.
Step 2: Introduction to Air Transportation
Time: 5 minutes
Teaching Skill: Explanation/Visual Aid Use
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher introduces the idea that some things move in the air. Using charts, the teacher shows and names pictures of an airplane, helicopter, drone, and kite, explaining briefly what each is.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils look at the charts, listen to the teacher, and repeat the names of the objects.
Learning Point: Pupils identify objects that move in the air.
Step 3: Practical Activity – Moving Objects in Air
Time: 5 minutes
Teaching Skill: Demonstration/Guided Practice
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher brings out a kite and a balloon. The teacher demonstrates how to gently move the balloon in the air and how a kite can be held to catch the wind (if outdoors, or demonstrate movement indoors). The teacher then guides pupils to take turns moving the kite or balloon.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils observe the teacher and then take turns moving the kite or balloon in the air.
Learning Point: Pupils experience objects moving in the air.
Step 4: Rhyme and Video Reinforcement
Time: 4 minutes
Teaching Skill: Song/Video Integration
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher leads pupils in singing the “Things That Fly” rhyme with actions. Afterwards, the teacher plays a short video clip about air transportation.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils sing the rhyme with actions and watch the video, pointing out objects they recognise.
Learning Point: Pupils reinforce their knowledge of air transport through song and visual media.
Step 5: Introduction to Smell in Air
Time: 4 minutes
Teaching Skill: Sensory Exploration/Discussion
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher asks pupils what they use to smell. The teacher then discusses good smells (e.g., flowers, food) and bad smells (e.g., dirty dustbin), asking pupils to show happy or ‘yucky’ faces for each.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils point to their nose, identify good and bad smells, and make appropriate facial expressions.
Learning Point: Pupils understand that air carries smells and can distinguish between good and bad smells.
Step 6: Colouring Activity
Time: 5 minutes
Teaching Skill: Fine Motor Development/Application
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher distributes pictures of objects that move in air (e.g., airplane, kite) and crayons. The teacher instructs pupils to colour the pictures beautifully.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils colour the pictures of air transport objects.
Learning Point: Pupils practise fine motor skills and reinforce recognition of air transport.
Step 7: Evaluation/Review
Time: 4–5 minutes
Teaching Skill: Questioning/Assessment
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher checks pupils’ understanding through short questions and practical tasks.
- “Point to the airplane on the chart.”
- “What is this object that flies with a string?” (Show a kite).
- “What do we use to smell?”
- “Is the smell of a flower a good smell or a bad smell?”
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils respond orally and demonstrate the required skill where appropriate.
Learning Point: Pupils demonstrate understanding of the lesson.
Step 8: Conclusion
Time: 1 minute
Teaching Skill: Summarization
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher quickly summarises that air helps things fly and helps us smell. The teacher leads pupils in a short closing song.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen and sing the closing song.
Learning Point: Pupils consolidate the main ideas of the lesson.
Lesson Keywords
- Air – The invisible thing all around us.
- Airplane – A vehicle that flies in the air.
- Kite – A toy that flies in the air with a string.
- Smell – What we do with our nose.
- Good – Pleasant, nice.
- Bad – Unpleasant, not nice.
Differentiation
- Support: For pupils who struggle, provide larger pictures for colouring, offer hand-over-hand guidance for moving the kite/balloon, and give extra repetition for identifying good/bad smells with clear examples.
- Extension: Encourage advanced pupils to name other objects they have seen flying in the sky (e.g., birds, leaves). Ask them to describe a good smell they like or a bad smell they dislike.
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